THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

Just came across this, prayers to the soliders and families.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... -mine.html

Well yeah, they aren't tanks (or even ligthly armored). They are merely light weight troop transporters. Just like Hummers are death traps.

No more Hummers will be ordered by the US. If I remember correctly, they are ordering the new MRAPS or whatever the acronym is. lol

Biased much? With the splashy headline and the repeated quotes, this article reads like pulp media.

As I recall, the Army even uses Chenowth dune buggies as "fast attack vehicles" - are they also "death traps"?

Maybe Iraq and Afganistan are the "death traps".

Then again, if they're going to surplus them - sure, bring 'em home!

I mean really!!!.....besides the armored plating of a tank what what vehicle could sustain a land mine blast and come out of it with all personnel unharmed. Seems to be such a ridiculous statement.

Twin Pinzies wrote:Well yeah, they aren't tanks (or even ligthly armored). They are merely light weight troop transporters. Just like Hummers are death traps.

Not sure about that... The article says "A defence expert has called for the removal of Pinzgauer vehicles from Afghanistan after a sixth soldier was killed in one of the armoured vehicles within a year."

Now I don't know one way or the other if the Pinzi was armoured or not, but if it was it should have protected the occupants from a simple land mine.

Here's some more info http://www.arrse.co.uk/qms-clothing-equ ... ost1679107

Seems like that's the fault of the armorer, not the vehicle, but I guess that's not important to the point of the article.

Purpose-built armored vehicles like they're proposing cost something like 10x what standard vehicles do - but I guess when you have a blank checkbook you might as well spend as much as possible. When I see articles like these, I always wonder who's benefitting from those massive government contracts.

Here's a somewhat more informative article:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... eiled.html

There are reasons for heavily armored vehicles - and there are reasons for small, light, fast attack vehicles. Just like there are reasons for soldiers to be on foot sometimes. Throwing money at the problem may make people feel safer (and will certainly make contractors richer) but it won't necessarily save lives or "win the war" any faster.

Byron wrote:No more Hummers will be ordered by the US. If I remember correctly, they are ordering the new MRAPS or whatever the acronym is. lol

I see ten to fifteen truck loads of new humvees every day on H-135. Three to foUr humvees on a truck.

If they are new, then they are part of previous orders that were placed some time back. The U.S. has already started replacing them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMMWV_replacement_process

There are other sources as well. GM has also announced Hummer will be discontinued.

So… if all the military vehicles are replaced with Abrams tanks will that insure troop safety?




During my days in the Marines we were happy with a Mutt, didn’t expect it to be bomb proof. :idea: If you’re going out in the lead and steel rain don’t use a utility vehicle. Same as you don’t use a tank for base transportation. However if you’re getting under the table kickbacks to sell up armored bicycles to the military…….

Ed

The pinz's over here are all open top vehicals, and Have little to no survivability. I have been blown up 3 times in the last 6 weeks, and I will tell you that Fate and luck have been on my side this deployment. I dont give poop what your rolling over here, 1500 of HME will turn the lights out. The currnent line up of US mil Vehicals, MRAP, MATV, Buffalo, RG31, ect...all have a V-hull bottom and due well, but are not impervious. Tracks are death traps!
Just my 2 cents. [/img]

Chp-sk8, Hope you return in one piece. If you're driving pinzgauer over there. Be prepared the gasser really does not have the power the td pinz does. I know a specialist north of Denver that drove a td for work. Thought it was so cool that he bought a gasser. After about two month of doing 10 mph up the mountain passes on the highway. He was less than impressed. Do believe he ended up having Herbert fuel injecting it and installing a 2.7L.

chp-sk8 wrote:The pinz's over here are all open top vehicals, and Have little to no survivability. I have been blown up 3 times in the last 6 weeks, and I will tell you that Fate and luck have been on my side this deployment. I dont give poop what your rolling over here, 1500 of HME will turn the lights out. The currnent line up of US mil Vehicals, MRAP, MATV, Buffalo, RG31, ect...all have a V-hull bottom and due well, but are not impervious. Tracks are death traps!
Just my 2 cents. [/img]

Thanks for being there and may Fate and good luck continue to smile on you.

Andy

I am not in the Pinz over here...the Brits are still rolling them though. Crazy, is what it is...I feel bad for those guys. We have had 2 hits this week alone...This is my 7th trip over and is by far the worst. When you look at at MRAP that is 3-4in thick steel that is ripped apart like a tuna can....that is a slice of hunble pie, an always lets you know that you are never above the law of war.

I need to get (F) out of here! Hope to meet some of you guys when I get back.....seattle is home.

Thank you for your service!
Ed